Search and selection is a high stakes game and there’s pressure to get it right. As we all know, great talent is hard to find!
Our clients see the value of strategic approaches in the search for talent. More important than finding great talent is finding “the one” person who is not only adept at the technical skills of their role, but can also seamlessly integrate into the culture of your organization.
At S. Benjamins & Co., our creative intention is about helping you find the ONE. With that in mind, we recently revamped our web site to focus on our unique process and purpose.
Check it out here!
In the spirit of our new website and our long standing purpose, we asked three of our favorite clients and friends how they find the ONE. Read on to see how Jamie Latiano with Renovate America, Steven Milovich, ABC Entertainment Group and Carol Geffner, Professor at USC and healthcare entrepreneur see talent acquisition today.
Jamie Latiano, SVP People & Culture, Renovate America San Diego based – The leader in Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Financing
SB: How do you find the ONE in your business?
JL: While cliché, hiring for attitude, energy and training for skill is one of the biggest keys.
Here at Renovate America, we are growing dynamically and there is a lot of change as our business is scaling quickly. Identifying behaviors such as resourcefulness, flexibility, comfort with change, leadership, communication and alignment with our Core Values has proven to be an effective assessor for hiring the right talent.
We are fortunate to attract great talent by having an awesome corporate culture grounded in impactful work, smart, dedicated, fun people and a philosophy of empowering people to do great things…together.
SB: What do you see changing in this landscape as you look ahead?
JL: It is becoming more important for us to identify specific experience and competencies that serve as pillars for our growth and success. While the foundation of hiring people aligned with our culture and values will remain strong, identifying gaps in competencies or knowledge is important so that we can be targeted in getting the right people in the right place, at the right time.
SB: What is your advice to other leaders who are focusing on finding or developing the ONE?
JL: My advice is that there should be foundational or “non-negotiable” things that a hiring manager looks for. For me, this is in the areas of values, attitude and behaviors. Diversity is important, especially diversity of thought. Also, in order to keep great talent showing up great, we have to allow them to shine, be their best and bring their discretionary effort to drive success daily through business deliverables, contributions to teams and to the culture of the organization. It is a two way street; we need to be able to recognize “the ones” that fit our culture and values, and they need to want to jump on board, be inspired to grow, drive, and deliver. When there is that symbiotic relationship, it is magical; there is incredible accomplishment, people own the outcome, enjoy the journey, and make history together.
Carol Geffner, PhD – Professor of Management, Governance & Policy, USC USC Price School Professor and CEO of Newport Healthcare Advisors
SB: How do you find the ONE in your business?
It starts with clarity about what the organization is looking for. We work with our clients to
re-think what is and will be needed in key positions rather than making an assumption that what worked in the past will be acceptable today.
We also take a holistic view of candidates. Think about how an individual will fit into the culture, how they work with others and if they have the attributes to lead change. And in most leadership positions it is critical to screen for emotional intelligence. Organizations are social enterprises and working well with others is one of the most important aspect of success.
SB: What do you see changing in the landscape as you look ahead?
CG: Healthcare is the industry undergoing a true transformation. In a world that is changing so radically, it is imperative that we build leaders who can lead through uncertainty while simultaneously move their organization toward a compelling future. From a behavioral and neuropsychological point of view, people respond more favorably when they move toward something positive vs. negative. What this means is that an element of leadership success is being able to create (with others) an emotionally interesting and vivid picture of the company direction.
We have four generations in the workplace. This has enormous implications for the way in which we structure and lead businesses. Millennials are more concerned with making an impact than fitting into a structure. This means organizations will re-think how to recruit, manage and engage people with very different motivations.
Lastly, we are operating within a customer-focused paradigm. One implication of this is that transparency is the norm. Determining on a daily basis what openness means is a central responsibility of leaders. Insular management will not work in the future. Leading from the “outside-in” and building a customer-centric organization is a mandate for success.
SB: What is your advice to other leaders who are focusing on finding and developing the ONE?”
CG: Think about the whole person and how they will fit your culture. Consider their emotional and social intelligence and the ability to work with and lead others. Be mindful of bringing in talent who can lead the business to the future as opposed to preserving what exists today.
Our Final Thoughts...
The best people in HR go against the norm. They are early adopters for change and compete to find the ONE. We hope this story has inspired you to new thinking about the future of talent.
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